Reading stand



E. C. KNOPS READING STAND Jan. 8, 1952 Filed May 26, 1947 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 6 I a 6 r I .5 M LL 1:. 5 3 HnHHU; Ill J l m N I 7 INVENTOR EON/IV C- KNOPS Hi5 ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs 2,581,541 READING STAND Edwin CrKnops, Berkeley, Calif.

ApplicationMay 26, 1947, Serial No. 750,506

4 Claims. (01. 4561) (2) To provide a novel and improved reading stand adapted to straddle a chair or bed;

(3) To provide a novel and improved reading stand adapted to hold a book or the like in open position with the pages flattened out to facilitate reading. l

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same taken in conjunction With the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure l is a front elevational view of my invention in its preferred form; t

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the same;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in plane 3-3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view depicting an adapter for use in increasing the straddle dimension of the reading stand of my invention;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary rear view of the preferred embodiment of Figure 1; and

Figure 6 is a view in section onthe plane 6-6 of Figure 3, through the clamping means constituting an important feature of my invention.

Referring to the drawings for details of my invention in its preferred form, the same comprises a backboard 1 reinforced by a frame including a pair of spaced horizontal members ,3 and 5 joined by a pair of vertical end members I, the lower horizontal frame member being. disposed adjacent the lower edge of the backboard.

Mounted on the front of the backboard adja-' cent its lower edge is a shelf 9 which is preferably notched at its midpoint, such shelf being adapted to support a book, periodical, newspaper or the like, in resting position against the backboard.

In conjunction with the above, means is provided for clamping such a book, periodical or the like in such rest position. Such clamping means involves a track guide mounted below the shelf. transverse to the same and preferably taking the form of a pair of parallel spaced strips l I and 13, each having an inside groove l5 terminating short of the front end of each of the strips. A carrier i! in the form of a block is slidably mounted on the track guide by providing such block with a side roller I 9 in each one of the grooves and adapted to ride therein. A clamping blade 2| is mounted on the carrier by way of an intermediate block 23 which supports the clamping blade above the plane of the shelf, whereby as the carrier rides along the track guide, the clamping blade is adapted to move into and out of engagement with a book or periodical supported on the shelf.

Through the application of suitable pulling in force to the carrier, the clamping blade may be 2 caused to effect pressure engagement against such book or the like and hold the same in fixed position, with the pages thereof sufficiently flattened by the pressure of the clamping blade to facilitate reading such pages as may be at the moment exposed to the reader.

Such force may be supplied by any spring holding means, which in the specific embodiment illustrated by me, takes the form of a coil spring 25 anchored at one end to one of the end members of the reinforcing frame, and having its other and connected to the carrier by means of string 21 or the like, with the coil spring under tension.

A suitable pulley system is provided to guide the string and reduce friction so as to permit smooth movement of the carrier. Such pulley system includes a pulley 29 supported from the lower horizontal frame member in line with the carrier, and a similar pulley 3| supported on the upper side of such frame member with its axis at right angles to the pulley below it, such frame member being provided with a hole 33 therethrough for the passage of such string, as it passes from one pulley to the other. i

The notch at the midpoint of the shelf receives the blade supporting block 23 during movement of the carrier and thereby assists in guiding such carrier in such movement.

The extent of travel permitted by the grooves I5 should preferably be suiiicient to allow withdrawal of the blade 2| beyond the front edge of the shelf so that the carrier and its supported tion by means of a pair of legs 31 and 39 at each end thereof. One such leg of each pair is permanently aflixed to the adjacent end frame member, while the other is hingedly secured thereto 7 at its upper extremity, in spaced relationship to the fixed leg, as determined by a spacer block 41 ins rted between the two on the hinge axis.

The legs at each end are thus adapted to be spread to alter the height of the backboard for the convenience of the reader, and to hold the edge notches 45 for selectively engaging a stud 41 on the fixed leg.

The holding rod is preferably formed of two sections 49 and 5! connected by a hinge, which permits the free end to be swung out of Way of the stud as the holding rod is lifted, preliminary to hooking it over the stud.

When not in use, the reading stand may be readily folded and stored in a confined space. A stop 53 affixed to the front edge of each of the fixed legs will. serve to hold the hinged leg and holding arm from swinging forward out of alignment when the stand is moved around from one location to another.

In its folded condition, the reading stand may very conveniently be hung against a wall where it will be out of the way but always readily available for use when desired, For hanging purposes, the upper horizontal frame member 5 may be undercut at its midpoint for engagement with a wall hook or bracket. To facilitate lifting the reading stand for this purpose, I provide a pair of hand grips 55 on the front face of the backboard, one adjacent each end thereof and preferably in line with the vertical members of the backboard frame, whereby the screws or other holding means which affix the hand grips to the backboard may be caused to penetrate therethrough andalso emgage the vertical frame members whereby a very sturdy construction will result.

Should the reading stand as thus described be of insufiicient width to straddle a chair or bed, I provide an adapter 51 in the form of a rectangular frame adapted to be inserted between the vertical frame member and the pair of legs adjacent thereto. This will increase the effective straddling distance of the reading stand to permit a wider field of use of the same.

The stand of my invention may be fabricated of wood, veneer or equivalent material.

From the above description of the same, it will be apparent that the invention fulfills the objects recited therefor, and while I have disclosed the same in great detail, the invention is subject'to alteration or modification without departing from the underlying principles thereof. Accordingly, I do not desire to be limited in my protection to the details illustrated and described except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A reading stand comprising'a backboard; a shelf extending from said backboard adjacentthe lower edge thereof for supporting a book or the like; adjustable means supporting said backboard at reading elevation; and means for clamps ing such book or the like in fiat open position on said shelf, said means including a track guide mounted adjacent said shelf transverse thereof, a carrier slidably mounted on said track guide, a clamping blade carried by said carrier above the plane of said shelf; and means normally holding said clamping means with said clamping bladeinresilient pressure engagement with said backboard, said holding means including a spring behind-and lying; parallel'to said backboard and anchored at one end, means connecting said spring under tension, to said carrier, and pulley means. forv guiding such connecting means.

2. A reading stand comprising a backboard; a shelf extending from said backboard adjacent the lower edge thereof for supporting a, book or the like, said'shelf having a notch at the midpoint thereof; adjustable means supporting said backboard at reading elevation; and means for clamping such book or the like in fiat open posi-- tio on said shelf, said means including a track guide mounted below said shelf transverse thereof, a carrier slidably mounted on said track guide, a clamping blade carried by said carrier above the plane of said shelf; and means normally holding' said clamping means with said clamping blade in resilient pressure engagement with said backboard, said holding means including a spring behind and lying parallel to said backboard and anchored at one end, means connecting said spring under tension, to said carrier, and pulley means for guiding such connecting means.

3. A reading stand comprising a backboard; a shelf extending from said backboard adjacent the lower edge thereof for supporting a book or the like; adjustable means supporting said backboard at reading elevation, said means including 7 a pair of legs at each end of said backboard, one

of such legs being permanently fixed thereto, the other being hingedly secured thereto at its upper end in laterally spaced relationship to said fixed leg, one of said legs having a stud thereon, and a holding rod pivotally secured to the other of said legs and having a plurality of notches associated therewith selectively engageable with said stud to alter the reading elevation of said backboard; and means for clamping such book or the like in flat open position on said shelf, said means including a track guide mountedadq jacent said shelf transverse thereof, a carrier slidably mounted on said track guide, a'clamping blade carried by said carrier above the plane of said shelf; and means normally holding said clamping means with said clamping blade in resilient pressure engagement with said backboard, said holding means including a spring behind and lying parallel to said backboard and anchored at one end, means connecting said spring under tension, to said carrier, and pulley means for guiding such connecting means.

4. A reading stand comprising a backboard: a shelf extending from said backboard adjacent the lower edge thereof for supporting a book or the like, said shelf having a notch at the midpoint thereof; adjustable means supporting said backboard at reading elevation, said means in-" cluding a pair of legs at each end of said backboard, one of said legs being normally fixed thereto, the other being hingedly secured thereto at its upper end in laterally spaced relationship to said first leg, and an adaptor insertable be tween the end of said backboard and said pair of legs to increase the straddling distancebe tween said pairs of legs; and means for clamping such book or the like in flat open position on said shelf, said means including a track guide mounted below said shelf transverse thereof, a carrier slidably mounted on said track guide, a

clamping blade carried by said carrier above the.

plane of said shelf; and means normally holding said clamping means with said clamping blade in resilient pressure engagement with said back 7 board, said holding means including a spring be hind and lying parallel to said backboard and" anchored at one end, means connecting said spring under tension, to said carrier, and pulley means for guiding such connectingmeans.

EDWIN C. KNOBS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent;

ITED STATE 

